We like to publish short accounts of the work we do with some of our clients from time to time. (You can find some of them here).

I’ve been putting off writing one about my favourite clients for some time now. So this weekend, as I returned from delivering a session on Presenting with Confidence at their annual conference in Liverpool, I decided to dig deep to understand why I was procrastinating.

And the rather surprising answer is that it’s because it really is a matter of life and death.

Let me explain….

My Favourite Client

My favourite client is StreetDoctors and the work on Presenting that I do with them is pro-bono. The reason for both those facts is that they are truly AMAAAAZING!

StreetDoctors is a charity that changes lives, saves lives, and makes a difference to some of the most troubled and disadvantaged young people in the UK. The volunteers are medical students who train up to deliver sessions that teach these young people the dangers of knife crime and, crucially, how to save the life of someone who has been stabbed, whilst waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

It’s heartbreaking to hear how many of the target young people in the StreetDoctors sessions have lost friends and loved ones (often many of them) to knife crime in the rising tide of violence across the UK.

When my daughter, Guenna, became a StreetDoctor 4 years ago, I was privileged to be invited to deliver training sessions for them. And I’ve been back each year, a couple of times a year, to lend my expertise in presenting, influencing, and controlling a room in a gentle but effective way.

The enthusiasm of the volunteers, their gratitude, and willingness to learn humbles me. They give so much of their time and energy, and the charity has grown beyond belief since its humble beginnings in Liverpool 10 years ago. (It’s officially their 5th birthday as a full blown charity).

Engaging with StreetDoctors

Their enthusiasm, combined with their specialist knowledge in trauma treatment, makes their sessions engaging and educational for some of the most difficult to reach young people.

They really are saving lives!

Which means, for me, that it seems a little tawdry to do the usual client case study. I’d much rather blow their trumpet than ours.

So to all the StreetDoctors – thank you for all you do and for allowing me to play my very small part in that.

You are incredible.